If you want your wok to last for a long time, and develop a non-stick surface, you must season it properly. This is especially important if you get something like a carbon steel wok. Despite the importance of the seasoning process, many people might not understand how to do it properly. Let’s look at the best way to season and take care of your wok.
Wash It First
Before the seasoning process begins, you should make sure that you are washing it properly. This will allow you to remove any impurities or chemicals that were on the pan. This is particularly important if you have just purchased the pan from a manufacturer.
When washing the wok, you’ll just require some soapy water. If you haven’t used the wok in a while, and it has crusted on food, you might want to use a scourer. After it’s been washed, you should dry it carefully, using a paper towel. Once dry, you can begin the seasoning process.
Heat The Pan
When the wok is made, industrial oils are used. The first stage of the seasoning process is removing these. To do this, you’ll need to heat the pan. To make sure that you can do this safely, you should put some foil around the handles, so these parts don’t get burned.
Next, you need to turn up the cooktop burner as high as possible. When the wok is hot enough, you will notice that it starts to smoke and turn black. You might also notice some oils at the bottom of the wok. This indicates that the process is working. Turn the pan to make sure that each side is turning black, burning all the industrials oils off. When doing this you want to make sure that each part of the pan is seasoned evenly. This can take a long time but, when done properly, it will build a strong pan, preventing it from rusting in the future. By the end, your wok should have turned a bluish-black. Once done, turn off the heat and put water into the pan, to cool it down.
Clean The Wok And Put It Back On The Burner
Next, you will need to make sure that you clean the wok. In most cases, this will just require some soap and a minor scrub. Once done, dry it carefully using a paper towel. Then, you will need to place it back onto the burner on low heat. This will allow you to get rid of any lingering moisture.
Coat The Wok With Vegetable Oil
Turn the burner to low heat. Then, start to spread vegetable oil around the wok. This will give it a non-stick coating. Try to make sure that each part of the wok gets an even coating. You might want to use a paper towel to help you spread the vegetable oil around the wok. If it gets too hot to touch, you can use a spatula to control the paper towel.
Next, heat the pan and smoke off the vegetable oil, following the same process used to get rid of the industrial oils. Once the vegetable oil is gone, turn the heat off and wait for the pan to cool down. Then, you can gently wash it with water. To develop a strong seasoning, you should repeat the oiling process for a second time. Then, you should go through the oiling process every time that you use the pan. Your wok should now be seasoned and will be ready for you to use.
After You’ve Finished Using The Wok
Once you’ve finished cooking your meal, you should make sure that you clean the wok properly. First, you will need to remove any excess food or oil that you created when you made the meal. Next, add some water and some washing detergent. In most cases, you will be able to gently wipe the wok. However, in other cases, the food might be stuck to the pan. In this case, you will need to use a scourer to remove it. When using a scourer make sure to use circular motions.
You might also want to check the outside of the pan. In some cases, you might want to clean the exterior using a scourer. This is especially important if there is rust on the bottom of the pan. Then, use a paper towel to dry the pan. Put the wok onto the heat and let any remaining water evaporate away. You can finish the process by adding a few drops of vegetable oil to the pan, rubbing it in with a paper towel. You should try to do this each time you use the wok, even if you were just using it for a simple meal.
Removing Rust
After regular use, you might notice that the wok has started to develop rust on the base. In this case, it might not have been seasoned properly before you started using it. To remove the rust, you will need to use a strong scrubber and remove the rust from the bottom of the pan. You might also want to apply some vegetable oil to the base of the wok.
To prevent rust from developing in the future, make sure that you oil the wok regularly. You should also make sure that you are heating both the inside and outside of the pan when you’re using it. In some cases, you might want to consider re-seasoning the wok.
Conclusion
A wok can be one of the most useful tools in your kitchen, allowing you to cook a wide range of foods. When you find a great wok, you will need to season and care for it. This will ensure that it develops a non-stick surface and will be able to last for a long time. Hopefully, you now have a better idea of how to do this. If you want more information about woks, and want to find the right choice for you, check out this great website https://wisepick.org/best-carbon-steel-wok/.